Hunter Tactics
by Lil Nezumi
Summary: Alternative Halloween costume tale - Xander chooses to mix and match costumes in honour of one of Jesse's favourite manga, called Hunter x Hunter.


**Title: **Hunter Tactics

**Character:**Xander-centred (note if any pairing were to occur in any future tale following this, beware that it'll be slash)

_**MY Inspiration:**_ Buffy the Vampire Slayer (all media forms), Hunter x Hunter (all media forms)

**Disclaimer:** This is my standard disclaimer; I don't own anything in regards to the sources of _**MY**__**Inspiration**_. All publically recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

All the characters, worlds, base concepts or general ideas are just a bit food for the writing bug. This story is pure fiction and is in no way meant to copy or reflect real life, events or people, should this happen then obviously it is pure coincidence.

From here on, disclaimer will not be repeated.

**Author's Note:** See author profile for preferred gender pairing type and why, that is if you really want to know.

**Summary:** YAHF - Xander chooses to mix and match costumes in honour of one of Jesse's favourite manga, called Hunter x Hunter.

**Speech Legend: **(This is the standard by which I write my stories and therefore you will not see this repeated in future chapters)  
>"Normal"<br>'_Thoughts_'  
>(…Other LanguagesMind Speak/Alternate Speech Patterns like sign language…)

Xander - Hunter X Hunter - Xander - Hunter X Hunter

**Hunter Tactics**

Xander - Hunter X Hunter - Xander - Hunter X Hunter

'_This is so wrong,_' Xander thought to himself. '_This is so messed up. Why does this have to happen on a night like tonight? Giles said nothing was supposed to happen demon-wise._'

(...Would the four of you shut up...) Xander yelled in his mind. (...Damn it, how am I supposed to figure out what is going on, you guys don't just SHUT... UP... ...)

The four characters in his mind had been arguing for a while...well it was more like one was talking calmly or commenting on something, two were babbling excitedly and the fourth was going into a direct animé-like panic mode of twirls and spins with their hands above their heads. At Xander's loud request to shut up they all suddenly did and took notice of his presence and appearance.

The two younger ones began to giggle and laugh, while the stoic one covered his mouth to hide his amusement. The fourth and oldest of the bunch just pulled out a cigarette, lit it and asked. (...So who the hell are you supposed to be imitating...)

Xander sighed and then explained, (...In my world the four of you don't exist except as a manga comic or animé coming from the mind of one of the greatest Manga-ka out there. I dressed up as a mix of all four of you in honour of my dead friend, who absolutely loved the adventures that you guys had...)

(...So you dressed like me...) Kurapika said, noting the beige surgical outfit under a blue cloak with red trim.

(...Have a fishing pole like me...) Gon added, looking at the fishing rod that was almost a perfect copy of his.

(...Use a skateboard...) Killua continued, barely registering the differences between his and the well used on at the teenager's feet.

(...and probably have a case full of medicines...) Leorio finished. (...Why?...)

(...One night of the year the humans of my world dress up in order to go house-to-house and collect Candy...) Xander explained. (...This is now a kind of holiday that has old roots and many different meanings in many cultures, but it's evolved into a children's holiday. Nothing was supposed to happen, but somehow if you're here in my mind it means that something did happen and it's obviously related to the costumes that we're wearing...)

(...So what was supposed to happen?...) Kurapika asked.

Xander rubbed the back of his head and focussed his attentions outside of himself for a moment. (...It looks like I was supposed to have been possessed by the personality infused in my costume. I know a couple of the kids that I was escorting had purchased their costumes at the same place that I did and that now instead of holding the hand of a little human kid dressed as a red-devil, it really was a little red-devil that was suddenly there...)

(...Cool...) Gon said, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. (...Do you think that we can do it now? Possess you, I mean, I'm wondering what it's like in your town...)

(...I don't know...) Xander said. (...Go for it, but try not to hurt or kill any of the little monsters. I have a feeling that they may be all affected children...)

(...All right...) Gon said. He shifted his focus to the outside of the body he seemed to be currently residing in. (...It's working...) He told the others and his physical presence faded to a ghostly form as his attention was not directed internally to the others. The ghostly form just rotated in place.

(...I wonder if we can see what's happening out there...) Leorio wondered. In front of the four of them a big screen appeared, including several lounging chairs. (...All right...) He said sitting down.

They watched as Gon explored the town, while Xander commented on the locations and demon types that they encountered.

Killua took over for a short time because he was curious to see if his assassin techniques would work against the vampires that had suddenly surrounded Xander's body. They were all fascinated by the fact that their heart could be removed from the vampire's body and that the vampire was still active until the heart was crushed by the unforgiving fist of a child assassin.

Kurapika took over after that to see if he could pierce the hearts of the vampires with his two, seemingly plain wooden, bokken short swords which are connected to each other like Nunchaku. His control was absolute and he never lost his weapon in the process. However they wooden swords were only the wooden sheaths to the real swords, but the wood piercing quality still works.

Xander wondered if he should invest in something similar because; one he'd have something to pierce the heart of a vampire, two he'd have a ready weapon to decapitate, when he learned to used it properly and the bonus is that you could never go wrong with having a good blade to take care of any other oogy creature in this town.

The vampires surrounding his physical body were only low-class minions. They were currently being directed by a blond vampire who chose to keep his distance after the hand through the heart deal that had happened with three of his minions in quick succession. After a moment more he called out in his British accent, "Retreat you bloody idiots. We have other prey to find."

Xander smirked at the fact that the people in his mind were causing the blond irritation to run away. (...That is so cool...) He said with a glance at the others that were watching the events happening.

Kuripika, having gleaned the nature of the vampires was able to send out one of his hidden finger chain '_Nen_' weapon to pierce the heart of another minion. He watched dispassionately as the vampire turned to dust.

(...Must be a cross shaped weapon...) Xander commented, as they watch the chain flow back. The one doing the possessing lifted it up to the brown eyes of the one he was possessing and soon he was back with the others in the mind of the human.

Leorio took his turn to wonder around the town now that the immediate danger was gone. He was helping the humans that had gotten caught in the cross-fire of the little changelings. He forcibly ushered many back to their homes or into homes that opened up to allow a few of the injured ones to hide out until the current Hellmouth crisis had been averted.

(...Why...) Kurapika asked lifting up the cross shaped chain. (...Why would this form work...)

(...It's the image of a religious icon in my world...) Xander explained. (...If that configuration has been blessed in your world, by whatever means, then it's effective...)

(...Interesting...) Killua said. (...Do you have an idea of what will happen to us when the spell ends?...)

(...Nope...) Xander said. (...Spells don't normally work on me all that well. See...) He pointed to a corner of his mind and the others noted that a creature was crouching inside a barred cage. (...She's supposed to have been banished with a spell, but for some reason the spell only caged her...)

Gon walked over to the cage and opened it without even once thinking that this creature was a danger to her host. The creature was the hyena female, who turned to snap her powerful jaws at Xander in irritation. (...Easy there...) The wild-child said. (...I don't think he understands you and he wasn't the one that created the cage...)

The hyena was exhausted with her struggles to escape and merge with the human host. However now that she was free, she blinked from her position by Gon's side to Xander's in an instant. In the next instant she was up on her hind legs and then she bit him on the right side of his neck, forcing the '_primal poison_', called the '_Mist of Merging_' venom to enter into his blood stream. The primal creature then growled at Gon and disappeared in a whirling particle dispersal pattern.

Gon's eyes widened and he turned those wide eyes to the human that was possessed. (...She said...) He paused to gulp and then continued, (...She said that you're in for a world of pain because it took this long to do that. She also said that if you wanted to keep any of our abilities we'd have to submit our blood into that wound too, before the end of the spell that brought us here...)

Leorio re-appeared with minor scratches and wounds, but he was quick to bind them. He noticed Xander's tooth marked bleeding wound and patched it up securely to prevent further blood loss. It also secured the venom within the wound, but the Scooby never mentioned that, feeling that he deserved the pain that was growing from the warmth of the it.

Killua and Gon voiced their agreement to the blood donation. They then possessed Xander's body alternatively and continued to explore the town while Kirapika explained the situation to their returned field medic.

(...I don't mind...) Leorio said, as he pulled out a smoke. (...I may not have a lot of combat skills, but in a place like this you'll probably be glad for some of my medical training. I'm a fully licensed Hunter doctor now...)

(...I would appreciate that...) Xander said. (...I hope I don't pick up your smoking habit though, although I don't remember you ever smoking in the stories...)

(...It's not a habit...) Leorio said, blowing out gray white wisps. (...It's a form of infection prevention, protection against spore attacks and a completely herbal remedy without the usual additives of cigarettes or tobacco. I make them myself, see...) He pointed out the rolling machine with the papers and a few of the herbs he used.

(...Sometimes I'm able to find a rare herb that increases certain effects and not all of them are used for the same purpose. Although these...) He showed the curious Kurapika, who'd noticed the different smells of his friend's smokes and Xander the long slim dark cigarillo type. (...These are the general daily ones that I smoke, but they're still of the same type. I only smoke them at the end of the day or whenever I'm injured to aid in the healing process...)

(...So prolonged use of those, are not addictive...) Kurapika asked and received a nod in agreement. (...They are distinctive in smell. I hope you know that...)

(...Tch...) Leorio tsked. (...Then you aren't very observant. They don't produce a smell or odour. Although Gon's probably the only one to ever notice it, because the brat's nose is so sensitive. What you probably smell is the cologne I usually wear in order to ward of the forest creatures...)

(...Cologne to ward off creatures?...) Xander asked, wondering just what kind of creatures, given what he knew of the manga. The last of the Kurta Clan only muttered that it actually just wards off everyone, especially women, which caused the possessed human to snicker.

Gon came back to Xander's mind and said, (...Something's happening out there. I took us close to some beach and Killua's finding a tree to climb and hide in...)

(...What's happening...) Xander asked as Killua suddenly appeared in the mindscape.

(...We're safe, we just can't maintain our presence much longer...) The young assassin said.

Leorio exposed one of his slow seeping wounds, made the cut bleed which allowed his blood to mingle with the '_primal poison_'. The others did the same, having chosen to donate their abilities to someone that obviously needed them because of the various creatures that they had encountered in the town and its environments.

A final gift was physically pressed into Xander's hand before all of them disappeared in that similar particle dispersal wind. He was finally able to open his eyes and that's when noticed that he was up a tall tree close to the ocean's edge. He was no longer in town because the boys had taken him a few miles out of it.

Xander looked in his hand and laughed.

There were five digital ID cards. Four of them declared that he's a bounty hunter of specialist abilities and each card identified only some of the specialist skills in terms that were acceptable to his world and its laws.

The cards proved that he was legal to hunt internationally for whatever the purpose, without garnering any legal repercussions. They were also loaded with money enough for him to obtain anything related to being a Hunter, including getting good accommodations and travel exemptions. They were also better secured than any banking card he could ever get.

The fifth card was very special because it featured some of his hybrid-demon skills, which included the right to hunt demons. The rights of all cards were extended internationally and inter-dimensionally too.

He was gazing at them and quietly thought, '_Can't wait for summer vacation_.'

Xander - Hunter X Hunter - Xander - Hunter X Hunter

**THE END**


End file.
